Light Frame Tricycle

The present invention relates to a light frame tricycle. The aim of the present invention is to provide a tricycle that is easy to assemble and cheap to manufacture. With this aim in view, the present invention relates to a light frame tricycle, characterised by the fact that it comprises a frame made of hollow, plastic tubular elements, the said frame having a first tube supporting a saddle, the longitudinal axis of the said tube converging with the supporting face at an acute angle; a first tubular element designed to turn round its longitudinal axis, extending upwards from a first diametrical hole with its axis perpendicular to the supporting face and located near the front end of the said first tube for supporting a tubular handlebar; a second tubular element designed to turn round its longitudinal axis, extending downwards from the said first diametrical hole and supporting two tabs for supporting a first hub of a front wheel; two first sleeves coaxial with each other and having a first end inside a second diametrical hole, with the axis parallel to the supporting face and located near the rear end of the said first tube, and a second end outside the said second diametrical hole in the opposite direction; two tubular arms, one for each of the said first sleeves, shaped to form an upside-down L and having a first portion coaxial with and connected to the said sleeve and a second portion with its axis perpendicular to the supporting face and supporting a rear wheel.

A preferred arrangement of the present invention will now be described, by way of a non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a side and rear view of a tricycle respectively;

FIGS. 3 and 4 show front and side part sections respectively of a first detail on the FIG. 1 tricycle;

FIG. 5 shows an exploded section of a pedal on the FIG. 1 tricycle;

FIG. 6 shows a part section, viewed from above, of a second detail on the FIG. 1 tricycle;

FIG. 7 shows a side view of the second detail in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows a section of a third detail on the FIG. 1 tricycle;

FIG. 9 shows a part section, viewed from the side, of the third detail in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 shows a part section of a fourth detail on the FIG. 1 tricycle;

FIG. 11 shows a plan view of the handlebar on the FIG. 1 tricycle.

Number 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicates a perfected tricycle comprising a frame made of plastic tubular elements. The said frame comprises a tube (2) with its longitudinal axis converging with the supporting face at an acute angle and having near its front end (3) a diametrical hole with its axis converging with the supporting face at roughly 90.degree.. The said hole accommodates the bottom end of a tubular element (4) supporting a tubular handlebar (6) at the top end (5).

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the said hole in tube (2) also accommodates a tubular element (7) the top end (8) of which is provided with longitudinal steps (9) with alternating longitudinal slots (10). The said end (8) is clicked into the bottom end of tubular element (4). To be more precise, steps (9) engage with recesses (not shown) inside the bottom end of element (4) so as to connect the latter firmly to element (7). At the same time, slots (10) accommodate steps (not shown) inside the bottom end of element (4) so as to connect elements (4) and (7) at an angle and so form a single tube designed to turn round its longitudinal axis. Element (7) also has a bottom end (11) fitted with two parallel semi-cylindrical tabs (12).

The latter combine to form a cavity (13) housing a front wheel (14). The rounded bottom ends of tabs (12) are provided with a slot (15) which is engaged by the end portion of hub (16) on wheel (14). Hub (16) is fitted at the ends with two metal sections (17), both L-shaped but asymmetrical in relation to the axis of hub (16). Each section (17) has a first portion (18), connected perpendicularly to the end of hub (16), and a second portion (21) parallel to hub (16) and supporting a pedal (22) which turns round the said portion (21).

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, pedal (22) is made in two parts, that is, it comprises a main cup-shaped part (23) and a cover (24) the top face of which is flat. Main part (23) has four sides (25), each parallel to the opposite side, and an internally concave base (26). Two opposite sides (25) have a hole (27) so that portion (21) can be fitted inside main part (23) through one hole (27) and emerge from part (23) through the other hole (27). From two opposite sides of the bottom face of cover (24) two hooks (28) extend downwards so as to engage with cavities (29) on sides (25) adjacent to those provided with hole (27). Cover (24) is clamped on to main part (23) when hooks (28) engage with cavities (29). Base (26) inside main part (23) is fitted with a weighted body (30) heavier than the other parts on pedal (22) so as to determine the centre of gravity of pedal (22). The centre of gravity is thus located inside the said body (30) so as to keep pedal (22) in the position shown in FIG. 1, that is, with cover (24) at the top of main part (23) so as to keep the outer face of cover (24) parallel to the supporting face of tricycle 1. Cover (24) has a coplanar piece extending over the face defined by the top edges of sides (25) on main part (23). From the said piece, a tab (31) (FIG. 5) extends downwards parallel to the outermost side (25) and perpendicular to portion (21). The said tab (31) has a slot (32) which is engaged by part (33) on portion (21) extending from main part (23) and smaller in diameter than the remaining part of portion (21). When part (33) engages with slot (32), it enables the entire pedal (22) to turn round portion (21) within the part of the same protruding from portion (21).

As shown in FIG. 10, the top end (5) of element (4) is bent slightly towards the front of tricycle (1), that is, in the travelling direction of the latter. End (5) supports a tubular sleeve (35) with its longitudinal axis parallel to the supporting face and designed to accommodate the centre portion (36) (FIG. 11) of handlebar (6). To be more precise, the bottom inside part of sleeve (35) has a slot (37) running along its entire length and designed to accommodate a step (38) (shown by the dotted line in FIG. 4) extending towards the bottom of centre portion (36) of handlebar (6). The engagement of these parts prevents handlebar (6) from turning round its longitudinal axis. From the opposite end of the said centre portion (36) of handlebar (6) two arms (40) extend with an essentially spherical end portion (41). Arms (40) constitute the two handgrips on handlebar (6) and are smaller in diameter than portion (36). The longitudinal axis of handlebar (6) is essentially parabolic.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, near its rear end (42), tube (2) has a diametrical hole with its axis parallel to the supporting face and from the two opposite ends of which extend two sleeves (43) coaxial with each other and with the said hole. The said sleeves (43) are provided on the outer face with a number of longitudinal slots (44). As shown in FIGS. 2, 8 and 9, the said sleeves (43) are fitted with two tubular arms (45) in the shape of an upside-down L a first portion (46) of which is coaxial with and fitted to sleeve (43). To be more precise, sleeve (43) is housed inside portion (46) and slots (44) are engaged by longitudinal steps (47) inside the said portion (46). Each arm (45) has a second portion (48) with its axis perpendicular to the supporting face and which, near bottom end (49), has a diametrical hole (51) engaged by the hub (52) on the two rear wheels (53). To be more precise, hub (52) fits into holes (51) on both of arms (45) and supports wheels (53) on the ends projecting from portions (48). Each portion (48) supports a semi-cylindrical element (54) with its concave section facing the supporting face and placed over respective wheel (53). The said element (54) is designed to form a fender. From tube (2), two pieces (55) extend upwards for assembling saddle (56).

As shown clearly on the attached drawings, none of the tubular elements constituting the frame on tricycle (1) have sharp edges. In face, ends (3) and (42) on tube (2) are semi-spherical, end (5) on element (4) supports sleeve (5) which is tubular, handlebar (6) has two semi-spherical ends, the bottom ends of tabs (12) are rounded off, the bottom ends (49) of tubular arms (45) are semi-spherical and the parts connecting portions (46) and (48) are rounded off externally. As already mentioned, the frame of tricycle (1) is made of hollow, plastic tubular elements which are injection molded to provide for uniform thickness and reduce material waste. Injection molding also provides for better finish of the component parts and, consequently, for improving the appearance of tricycle (1).

Assembling pedals (22) on sections (17) is performed very easily. First of all, portion (21) is fitted inside main part (23) so that the end comes out on the other side of the said part (23) and cover (24) is pressed down on to main part (23) so as to engage hooks (28) with cavities (29) and, at the same time, fit part (33) or portion (21) into slot (32) of tab (31). Though designed to turn round portion (21), pedal (22) will tend to remain in the position shown in FIG. 1 on account of the location of its centre of gravity. Cover (24), which is flat on the outside, serves as a foot-rest for the rider.

Handlebar (6) is fitted inside sleeve (35) by simply inserting handlebar (6) into one side until its centre portion (36) corresponds with sleeve (35) and step (38) engages slot (37).

Arms (45) are fitted on to sleeves (43) by simply fitting the said sleeves (44) into respective portions (46) on arms (45) so that steps (47) engage with slots (44).

Manufacturing the frame using tubular elements with no sharp edges renders tricycle (1) accidentproof in that all the projecting parts that may be collided with are rounded off. Besides providing for a high degree of safety, tricycle (1) is easy to assemble, cheap to manufacture and, on account of the material used, also lightweight.

To those skilled in the art it will be clear that changes can be made to tricycle (1) described and illustrated by way of a non-limiting example, without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention.